Food packets airdropped as Mahananda breaches embankment, floods more areas in Bihar’s Seemanchal

The swirling water of swollen Mahananda breached its embankment near Minapur village in Purnia in the wee hours of Monday, inundating many more villages in the district as well as in neighbouring Katihar.

Defence personnel began airdropping of food packets to marooned people in flood-affected Purnia and Katihar districts on Monday, even as Mahananda and Parman rivers continued to rise menacingly in the two districts of northeast Bihar.

Flood affected people who have taken shelter on Mahananda embankment at Sahkol village in Purnia district. (HT photo)

The swirling water of swollen Mahananda breached its embankment near Minapur village in Purnia district in the wee hours of Monday, inundating many more villages in the two districts.

An iron bridge on Belouri-Sonali road near Shivganj in Kadwa block of Katihar district was also washed away by strong current of the flood water. Reports coming from various places suggest that the flooded Mahananda may cause damage to embankments at other places too.

Meanwhile, 6000 food packets were air dropped among the flood victims stuck at various places in the affected districts. “Besides, 3,500 food packets were distributed among flood victims at Baisi on Sunday,” Purnia district magistrate Pradeep Kumar Jha said.

The Mahananda embankment that was breached near Minapur in Purnia district.

Lakhs of people in Seemanchal area of Bihar, comprising Araria, Katihar, Kishanganj and Purnia, have been badly hit by the worst flood in four decades. Thousands of people are reported to be stuck on the roof of their houses.

Meanwhile, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams, besides army jawans, have been pressed into service for rescue work in flood hit areas of Seemanchal districts.

Over five lakh people in Jogbani, Forbesganj, Sikti, Kursakanta, Jokihat and Araria town of Araria district, all blocks of Kishanganj, Balrampur, Kadwa, Pranpur, Amdabad, Azamnagar in Katihar, Baisi, Amour, Baisa and Dagarua blocks of Purnia district are worst affected..